


Fanning the Flames

by GothicDeetz



Category: Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown & King
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Arson, Dead People, Family, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Ghosts, Human, Mother Figures, One Big Happy Family, Step-parents, Talking, Talking To Dead People
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:48:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25091884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicDeetz/pseuds/GothicDeetz
Summary: In an au where Betelgeuse is human and a well known arsonist, he meets a fifteen year-old Lydia Maitland-Deetz and when he takes notice that she seems interested in what he’s doing, he offers to take her under his wing and teach her to be an arsonist just like him.And what happens when Lydia’s parents find out what she’s doing?
Relationships: Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice & Charles Deetz & Delia Deetz & Lydia Deetz & Adam Maitland & Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz, Charles Deetz & Delia Deetz & Lydia Deetz & Adam Maitland & Barbara Maitland, Charles Deetz/Delia Deetz, Charles Deetz/Delia Deetz/Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Serpents_of_Fire_and_Fog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpents_of_Fire_and_Fog/gifts).



> Hope you enjoy this au story. Comments and kudos are appreciated. :).

Lawerence Shoggoth was a well known arsonist, going under the name of Betelgeuse. He had set more fires to places than ever recorded, and, as a result, had been kicked out of town after town, city after city, village after village, for every fire he’s ever set.

That is, until he came to the small town of Winter River, Connecticut. He settled down quickly, moving into a small one story house on the outskirts of the town. His fires, as usual, started off small and he had no intention to set much bigger fires as not to worry the other residents of the town too much and get himself kicked out of yet another town. He’d set a total of twelve-thirteen small fires so far and not a single person noticed, which he thought was good.

Until...

“E-excuse me? What are you doing?”

He turned to find the owner of the feminine voice standing behind him, looking directly at him with a look on her face that he couldn’t exactly pinpoint. He looked her over, taking in every detail. Her short Brown-Black hair, her confused, concerned, or curious Brown eyes looking him over at the exact same time. He noticed her Black laced dress, her leggings, and her combat boots.

‘She must be a goth,’ he thought quietly to himself. ‘What is she doing here?’

He managed to regain himself and looked the girl in front of him over again, once again taking in her features. When she repeated her question again, he shook his head a few times and answered,

“I should be asking you the same thing. Or I should be asking you why you’re here.”

“Does it matter why I’m here?” she asked, sitting down.

“Yes!” Betelgeuse was starting to get frustrated, nearly pulling at his hair.

“Well,” she said, looking off to the side. “I came here because I’m interested.”

“You’re interested ... In me setting fires?”

“Uh, yeah! Is that a problem?”

“Absolutely!” He pointed in a random direction. “Will you please leave me alone?”

“No. Not until you answer my questions.”

“What are your questions?”

“One; Was it you who set those twelve other fires?” She gave him a small smirk as she waited for an answer.

“Yes. Next question?”

“Two; What’s your job?”

“None of your business.”

The girl stuck her tongue out at him and he frowned back at her. “C’mon. Please tell me.”

He groaned. “Arsonist.”

“Three; What’s your name? I’m Lydia. Lydia Maitland-Deetz.”

“That is also none of your business.”

Lydia reached into one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a small business card, reading the name on it out loud to herself. “Hmm ... Betelgeuse, huh? That’s a funny name to have ...” She laughed.

“It’s not my real name,” he grumbled.

“Four; What is your real name?”

“Lawerence Shoggoth.”

Lydia laughed some more. “That’s an even funnier name to have.”

He chose to ignore that. “Any more questions?”

“Yeah! Five; Can you teach me?”

“Teach you what?”

“To be an arsonist like you, silly.” Lydia came closer to him and put a hand on his heart.

“Why would you want to learn to be something this dangerous?” Okay, now he was starting to get a bit slightly concerned for this girl.

“Because it’s fun.”

“Look, Lyra-.”

“Lydia,” Lydia corrected him.

“Look, Lydia,” he said with a sigh. “Being an arsonist is dangerous work. And shouldn’t you be home with your parents right now? They must be getting worried.”

“Shit!” Lydia cursed, looking up and glancing at the night sky. She could have sworn she came here whilst it was still daytime. “Gotta go! Promise me you’ll think about it?!” She dashed away.

“I’ll think about it!” he shouted back.

He turned and sighed. What had he gotten himself into?


	2. Chapter 2

Lydia showed up to where she'd met that guy named Lawerence the next day and found that he was right where she left him when she first met him. Behind her were her dad and her stepmother, two out of her four parents. She knew she couldn't bring the other two with her because they were ghosts and couldn't leave the house and well, she felt a little sorry for them. She'd have to introduce her newfound friend to them some other day it seemed (If he could even see them that was. She knew it would be impossible to convince him to even see the dead).

He heard her footsteps and turned, spotting her and who he knew and/or thought were her parents. "Oh," he said. "You're back. And you brought your parents with you? Whatever for? Won't they get mad at you for doing something this dangerous?" He kept his voice below a whisper so the other two adults wouldn't know what he was saying, signaling to Lydia to do the same.

"No," whispered back Lydia with a quiet laugh. "They won't know. It is supposed to be a secret and they won't find out because I won't tell them. These are just two of my parents anyway, my dad and my stepmom, my other two parents are currently at my house and they can't leave unfortunately. Maybe you should come over to my house some other day to meet them. Is that okay with you?"

"Wait, you have more parents?" Lydia nodded and Lawerence sighed. "While I'd like to meet them, I can't for a while. I got work to do and am very busy."

"Aw, come on, please? They're very nice."

"Fine! Maybe in a couple of days. I got work to do."

"Can I call you 'Betelgeuse' please? Lawerence seems like a mouthful," said Lydia, looking Lawerence in the eyes.

"Betelgeuse sounds fine!" Lawerence grumbled. "You can call me whatever you want."

Lydia, her dad, and her stepmother turned to leave. "Wait!" Lydia suddenly remembered. "I forgot to introduce you to my parents that are with me. Betelgeuse, this is my father, Charles, and my stepmother, Delia.”

Betelgeuse extended a hand and Charles took it and then Delia. “Nice to meet you,” they said in unison.

Lydia plugged her address and contact information into his phone before she left.

Lydia, and her dad and stepmom turned to leave again and Lydia whispered over her shoulder, “Can the lessons start tomorrow?”

He nodded and whispered back, “Yes, the lessons can start tomorrow if you want.”

In her head, Lydia thought, ‘Great’. And then she left with her dad and stepmom. She could not wait for her arson lessons with Betelgeuse and she could not wait for him to meet her secondary parents.


End file.
